- Teslas Robotaxis is underway in Texas, Austin
- Most online reactions have been positive so far
- You can only get rides with special invitations for now
It has been quite a wait, but the Tesla Robotaxi service has now been launched in limited form and ferry its first passengers around Austin, Texas with fully automated self-driving technology and no human cab drivers.
The news was announced across various social media channels, including @tesla_ai, and follows many years of testing and teasing from Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk. However, it is a very limited launch for now: You must be invited to try the service and it covers only a certain part of Austin, a region that is thoroughly mapped by Tesla’s software.
While there is no human driver, each robotaxi comes with a Tesla employee sitting in the passenger seat ready to close the car if it has trouble.
Rides are charged to a fixed fee of $ 4.20 (about £ 3.15 / AU $ 6.60), with everything handled via the Tesla app. Musk has said the service will expand to other cities and reach the milestone of 1,000 vehicles in the coming months. So even though it’s good to see the service launch I have to pay tribute to my Knightrids Dreaming for a while yet.
Here’s my experience in one of the first public night @tesla Robotaxi Rides. It was smooth, comfortable and as good as it is during the day. pic.twitter.com/7BDVVAWF3AJune 23, 2025
There is also a brand new Robotaxi page on the Tesla Web site that provides details about the service. Tesla is investing heavily in the Robotaxi service as a future income stream, and there have even been hints that Tesla owners will eventually be able to rent their cars like Robotaxis and make money while otherwise not used.
For now, however, the service is far behind Waymo, which was launched in San Francisco three years ago, and also operates in Austin, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Waymo Cabs does not have an employee present in the car, but the vehicles are monitored all externally in case of problems.
Positive reactions – and some problems
Most of the Robotaxi reactions that arrive on social media have been very positive: The service seems to work very well, both during the day and at night, with a smooth passenger experience that reportedly beats what Waymo offers.
However, it is worth noting that most people who have been invited to use Robotaxi trips are Tesla owners, supporters and investors. Come back through the social media accounts for people who positively post about their Robotaxi Attorney and you will see that there are plenty of pro-tesla mood.
Tesla Robotaxi gets off on in-n-out, dealing with pedestrians crossing and driven through line/traffic. Handled it perfectly. 🍔 pic.twitter.com/mgkiifm2gsJune 22, 2025
The best technique feels like magic because it is so normal that you don’t even notice it … until you do. Took a walk in a Tesla Robotaxi today. In this clip it pulls aside on a narrow street with construction, giving way to a madly car that illegally turns into our lane. The… pic.twitter.com/uz9s13xgdoJune 23, 2025
It is not a reason to reject these reactions, but it is an important context. One of the clips circulating shows a robotaxia trying to hover into the wrong course as it is prevented from doing. A clip sent to Reddit shows in the meantime problems with unnecessary braking, although it seems that Robotaxi protection frames are working.
There are now plenty of extended videos showing rides being taken in Robotaxis, without any obvious problems or problems. Currently, rides can be shelves between 7 p.m.
If you want to read more positivity about Tesla Robotaxi, go to Elon Musk’s feed at X-DU will see phrases as “smooth as butter” and even “the beginning of civilization after driving”. There are many technological and regulatory obstacles to overcome when Tesla’s Robotaxi service grows, but it is now at least operational.
